Wire-stretcher.



G. P. GRIFFITH.

WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED 111111.16, 1912.

1,056,169. Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a komma GEGryzA,

G. F. GRIFFITH.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.1G,1912.

1,056,169, Pafented Mar. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED srnfrns PATENT cerros.

GEORGE F. GRIFFITH, OF JOHNSTOWN, COLORADO.

WIRE-STRETCI-IER.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE F. GRIFFITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county of `Weld and. State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawinO's.

This invention relates to fence wire stretchers and has for its object to provide an implementfor this purpose wherein comparatively few parts are employed and whereby the operator may stretch the wires past the post to which they are to be attached and render the same perfectly taut before stapling the wires to the post.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a wire stretcher which may be easily and quickly arranged in position upon a tree, post, the side of a building or other stationary object and consists essentially of a body bar and a lever mounted thereon for longitudinal movement, said lever carrying means for the attachment of the fence wires thereto, and means on t-he end of the body bar to temporarily engage and hold the wires after receiving the iirst preliminary stretching so that they can be released from connection to the lever and the lever repositioned upon the body bar whereby the stretching operation can be continued.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire stretcher of the above character which is strong and durable in construction, highly serviceable and efficient in practical operation and may be produced at comparatively small cost.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wire stretcher embodying the present invention showing the same positioned upon a tree or post and in actual use; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the stretcher; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a. section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the wire holding device mounted upon the end of the body bar.

Referring in detail to the drawing 5 des- Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1912.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

serieu No. 684,279.

ignates the body bar of the stretcher which is generally of rectangular form in cross section and is provided at one end with a hand loop G. This body bar is further provided at a. point intermediate of its ends with a laterally projecting hook or spur 7 which is adapted for engagement with a post, tree or other stationary object.

The body bar 5 between the handle loop 6 and the anchoring hook 7 is provided upon one of its faces with rack teeth 8 and upon this portion of the body bar the operating lever 9 is mounted for longitudinal movement. This lever is provided at one end with the fork 9, the parallel arms 0f which project upon opposite sides of the body bar. A bolt 10 connects these spaced arms of the lever and upon said bolt an anti-friction roller 11 is loosely mounted for engagement with the body bar. Between the ends of the arms 9 of the lever a pawl 12 is pivotally mounted upon a bolt 13 which connects said arms. This pawl extends from the operating lever toward the hook or spur 7 on the body bar and moves upon the racked face of said bar at its extremity. A yoke 14 embraces the end of said pawl and the body bar and the intermediate portion thereof is provided with a rigid pin 15 which extends between the arms of the yoke and is loosely mounted at its end in an opening 16 provided in the rack engaging end of the pawl 12. The ends of the arms of the yoke 14 are connected by the bolt 17 `and upon this bolt a roller 18 is loosely mounted for engagement with the face of the body bar opposite to the toothed face thereof.

1n the forked end of the operating lever a second pawl 19 is pivot-ally mounted upon the transverse bolt 20, the fulcrum of said latter pawl being disposed inwardly of the fulcrum 13 of the pawl 12 and nearer t0 the body bar. One end of the pawl 12 is bent to provide a handle 21 to which one end of a coiled spring 22 is connected, the other end of said spring being connected to the pawl 19 and acting to hold the opposite end of said pawl in engagement with the rack teeth S on the body bar. A coiled spring 23 is also arranged upon the pin 15 carried by the yoke 14 and bears against the end of the pawl 12 to yieldingly retain the same in engagement with the rack teeth.

Upon opposite ends of the pivot bolt 20 of the pawl 19 a plate 24 is loosely engaged, and upon these plates the cam clamping vided with an anchoring hook and having a series of rack teeth on one face, a lever having a forked end movable longitudinally on the bar, a pair of pawls pivotally mounted in the forked end of said lever and disposed upon the same side of the body bar for engagement with the teeth thereof, a yoke embracing the end of one of said pawls and the body bar, said paWl having an opening in one end, a pin carried by the yoke loosely disposed in said opening to connect the yoke to the paivl for movement therewith longitudinally With respect to the body bar, a coiled spring on said pin yieldingly holding the paWl in engagement With the rack teeth, a spring to yieldingly hold the other of the paWls in engagement with the teeth of the body bar, and means mounted on the lever to connect a fence Wire thereto, said paWls being alternately stationary and movable with respect to the body bar in the actuation of the lever and serving as fulcrulns for said lever.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailix my signature in the prese-nce of two Witnesses.

GEORGE F. GRIFFITH.

IVitnesSes GEORGE GRAY, i Lossrn R. WHEATON.

Copies of this patent may le obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

